


A Leader, by any Other Name

by DustyTales



Series: Ghost on the Dance Floor [8]
Category: Nightwing (Comics), Titans (TV 2018)
Genre: Canon-Typical Violence, Hurt Dick Grayson, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-20
Updated: 2020-09-20
Packaged: 2021-03-08 01:42:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,353
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26567521
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DustyTales/pseuds/DustyTales
Summary: The Titans have spent months training for this day, the day they face down a real villain as a team for the first time. But when this new threat turns out to be more of a danger than they anticipated, the Titans are forced to cope with the very real mortality of their beloved leader.
Relationships: Dick Grayson/Wally West
Series: Ghost on the Dance Floor [8]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1374208
Comments: 6
Kudos: 70





	A Leader, by any Other Name

Dick was glad he and the Titans were properly outfitted. Since Wally joined the fold, nothing drastic had struck Bludhaven, and the team had had plenty of time to train and learn to work together.

And now, it was show time.

Dick knew danger was on the horizon when he got a whiff of strange goings on at work: a highly dangerous criminal who needed to be on constant lockdown was passing through the city. Transport did not plan to stop, but wanted the BPD prepared for the worst in the event of a break out. 

His code name was Plasmus, birth name Otto von Furth. He was a man horribly mutated by an accident, and was being transported to Gotham for study.

Dick was certain Bruce had a hand in this at first, but The Bat claimed he had no idea who Furth was, and Dick needed to be on guard: it sounded like one of Gotham's many madmen were pulling the strings.

So Dick prepped the team for the worst, and dug up as much as he could on the convict.

“Plasmus” had to be kept in a medically induced coma to remain human, which sounded a chorus of alarm bells for Dick. This monster was one pulled plug away from a rampage!

In the end, the Titans were in the dark on who pulled that plug, but it was a discussion for a later date.

The team’s movements were practiced and flawless, weaving between the great gooey monster's legs with ease. 

Kid Flash and Beast Boy ran interference, running in opposing circles to keep the creature's attention focused and head spinning. (Dick felt a burst of pride at seeing Gar in the form of a cheetah, white jumpsuit clinging perfectly to his feline form.)

With the sun down, Starfire had only her strength to rely on, but she valiantly kicked and punched her way through the awful purple goop without care.

Raven hung back with Nightwing, who sat atop his motorcycle, scanning the awful creature for weakness with the onboard computer. After what felt like years but could have only been moments, the scan locked, reading detailed information across the screen.

"Titans!" Dick called into his ear piece, "aim high, right behind the mouth! Otto's body is still in there-"

"If we knock him out, maybe this shit pile will dissipate," Kori finished for him.

"I am  _ not  _ going inside that thing's mouth," Wally sassed, sounding genuinely disgusted.

The sound of a cheetah chirping in agreement crackled over the connection.

"You won't have to," Rachel said firmly, "Get him to turn his back to us, and I'll have a clear shot."

"You've never hit a target at that range," Dick reminded, "And the angle will be poor, you're still new to levitation."

"Got a better idea?" Kori challenged.

They could all  _ hear  _ Dick's scowl.

"All of you, kite formation! His attention is too scattered," Dick ordered, "Star, spot me, I'll need my bike to keep formation. Let Raven line up her shot."

Dick made eye contact with Rachel, before giving her a nod. She was focused, determined.

He believed in her.

Dick revved his engine, and the beast turned to the sound immediately. He shot off, blood pounding in his ears as his teammates fell into formation around him.

He swerved around Plasmus' side, the beast gurgling as it lifted it's arm to strike.

Dick hit the gas, but Plasmus was faster.

The impact was somehow both solid and wet, sending him hurtling off his bike and skidding across the asphalt. Pain shot through his side and chest as the friction ripped his suit, until he skidded to a stop in a mushy pile of Pasmus' goo.

Dick heard the distinct sound of Raven's magic, and the impact of another body on the street. Pain sent Dick's head spinning, but he pried his eyes open to see the scrawny body of the man whose face had graced his report.

Rachel had done it.

A cold gust of wind had Dick clenching his eyes shut again, only to clench his teeth in pain as he was turned onto his back much quicker than he would have preferred.

"Easy!" Dick croaked, blinking bleary-eyed at Wally.

"Sorry, sorry!" The speedster chirped, "Are you okay? No, that's a dumb question, of course you're not okay youlefthalfyourskinonthepavement-"

"KF," Dick interrupted, "We gotta get out of here 'fore the cops show up."

Wally ignored him, looking over his wounds more carefully.

"Shit, you got weird mutant gunk in your road burn…"

"We can't stay here!" Dick asserted more strongly.

"My spell should keep Plasmus under for a few hours," Rachel reported from behind Wally, "We have time to check you over."

The Titans fell in around Dick, staring wide eyed and worried at their bloodied leader. Dick tried to stand, grumbling irritably, but the damaged muscles of his legs protested too loudly, and Nightwing fell against his boyfriend.

Kid Flash shushed his lover as he lowered him back to the pavement. 

"Blue bird, sweetheart,  _ please. _ Just let me have a look."

"Burns," Dick croaked out, squeezing his eyes shut. The pain was so vivid he could barely differentiate between it all, but something, somewhere, was  _ burning like hell. _

"He's blistering!" Gar gasped out, "The gunk, it's- it's like acid!"

Dick grit his teeth. Yeah, that felt about right. His head was spinning and it hurt so much his stomach roiled. He really hoped he didn't vomit.

Wally gently picked up his lover, looking around to the assembled team.

"I'm taking him to Mount Justice," Wally decided, "They have a medbay there with specialists in weird meta shit."

Dick could only move one of his arms without nearly blacking out in agony, but he clutched his right hand tight in Wally's uniform. Nightwing's vision swam, but he could still make out the tender look of his partner, and felt his lips touch his forehead.

Others spoke around them, but Dick was drifting, they sounded too far away to understand. But he heard Wally whisper against his heated skin loud and clear.

"Hold on tight, pretty bird. This is gonna hurt."

A flash of speed and wind whipped at Dick's torn skin. He whimpered against his boyfriend's chest, tears welling up in his eyes, but the pain was simply too much.

The world slipped out of focus.

It wasn't that Dick wasn't awake, because he was. It was just that what was going on around him couldn't really be brought into focus. It was like he was looking at the whole world through murky water, blurry and muffled.

He didn't know where he was, but he knew whose arms he was in, and he felt safe. Occasionally he would hear Wally whisper distant words to him, or feel him kiss his forehead, and it made him press his cheek to the other man's chest and hum in vague contentment. 

He was in agony, but he was floating, his skin was on fire, but he felt nothing at all.

It didn't make sense, but that was okay. Wally would keep him safe. Nothing mattered right now, because Wally was here, and he would protect Dick.

But then Dick felt Wally lay him down, and the world crashed into focus like the other man's arms were all that held him together.

Dick thrashed where he was laid out across the gurney, white hot pain licking at his skin. It  _ hurt _ and he was  _ panicking  _ because the one person who was keeping him stable was  _ leaving. _

“Shhhh, shhhh-” Wally soothed, wiping sweaty hair from Dick’s forehead, “I’m right here, pretty bird, you’re alright. The doctors are gonna take care of you, and I’ll see you again in just a few minutes, okay?”

Dick didn’t want Wally to go. The pain was so intense his vision was swimming, and he was still fighting the urge to vomit. But already he was being wheeled away, a soft whimper slipping past his lips as he felt Wally’s hand slip through his shaking fingers.

There was a pin prick in his arm, and then darkness.

**Author's Note:**

> So those who are comic savvy, you know this is not really how Plasmus works. The version of him that is a big goo monster with a man inside is canon only to the Teen Titans cartoon, where as in the comics he's an acid man who enjoys melting people into his body.  
> This interpretation is using a little of both. Rather than Plasmus being too acidic to be touchable at all, long term contact with the skin causes burns. Aside from that, he is very much the Plasmus from Teen Titans.


End file.
